Swinging closure mounting



June 13, 1939. F. A. GUTH SWINGING CLOSURE MOUNTING Filed April 21, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l v 1 a \l I. Law ,4 v 7 7 June 13, 1939. F. A. GUTH 2,162,381

SWINGING CLOSURE MOUNT ING Filed April 21, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mid +1., I of Door Patented June 13, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Frederick A. Guth, Denver, Ohio Application April 21, 1937, Serial No. 138,224

10 Claims.

This invention relates to hinge mountings for swinging doors of the type used in connection with garages, shops, airplane hangars and similar structures.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a hinge mounting which will permit the door to be opened to an overhead position without the use of trackways and other associated hardware.

10 Another object of this invention is the provision of binge mountings which will support a one piece door in such a manner that it may be caused to assume a horizontal position at the head of a doorway with the minimum amount of 15 effort on the part of the operator.

A further object resides in the employment of springs to furnish power to counterbalance the weight of the door in all of its positions of movement.

20 A still further object of the invention is the employment of a pair of levers at each side of the door, one lever of each pair being a power lever and the other levers being controlling levers.

Further objects will be apparent from the fol- 25 lowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: i

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the inside of a door provided with the hinge mechanism constructed in accordance with the present inven- Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the upper portion of the door in a closed position, the open position of the hinge levers and the door being indicated by dotted lines; I g

35 Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view through one side of the door and its associated frame, the plane of the section being indicated by the broken line III-III of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken through 40 one of the springs and the mounting therefor used in connection with the hinge mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal section taken on the plane indicated by the line V-V of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a similar view on the plane indicated 45 by the line VI--VI of Fig. 1;

Fig. '7 is a vertical section through a door provided with the hinge mechanism and shows the use of a tension spring to counterbalance the weight of the door.

50 Fig. 8 is a similar view of a door employing a modified type of hinge mounting;

Fig. 8a is a rear elevation of the hinge mounting shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 9, illustrates the use of a tension spring 55 with the type of hinge mounting shownin Fig. 8;

Fig. 9a is a rear elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9;

Figs. 10 and 11 are vertical sections showing modified types of binge mountings.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 5 the preferred form of the invention has been i1- lustrated in Figs. 1 to '7 inclusive. In the drawings, the numeral I designates the framework of the building surrounding the opening which is adapted to be closed by the one piece door 2. The 10 .door 2 may be of solid construction or, as illustrated, may be provided with light transmitting panels 3.

To provide for the support of the door 2, the side members 4 of the frame intermediate of 15 their height have secured thereto bracket members 5 which extend into the building and have their inner ends equipped with bearings 6. Intermediate of its length, each bracket member is also provided with a bearing 1. At the bearing 6, each bracket member has pivoted thereto the inner end of a. control lever 8 which at its outer end is pivotally united with the door 2 by means of a pin 9 passing through out-turned ears on a fulcrum plate ID. The control levers 8 are bent intermediate their ends to clear the bearings I when the door is in a closed position.

A second set of fulcrum plates H is secured to the door at a point below the plates l0 and the plates II have pivoted thereto by means of 0 pins [2, the lower ends of a pair of power levers l3. The levers I3 are pivotally secured to the bracket members 5 at the bearings I. At a point adjacent the upper end of the lever I3 is secured a stud l4 about which is pivoted the socketed end of a spring support I5. The support l5 includes an abutment l6 and a prong I! which slides against a similar portion of an inverted spring support pivoted in connection with the door frame by a pin l8 passing through a channel 40 shaped member 19 carried by the door frame. The channel members I8 and the power levers l3 are provided with a plurality of holes for the reception of the pin l8 and the stud H in order to vary the resisting force of compression type coil springs 20 which surround the prongs ll of the spring supporting members.

The door and its frame may be provided with cooperating locks and plates 2| and 22 to act to hold the former in its position of closure. A central actuating handle 23 is carried by the door and is connected to the sliding bolts of the locks 2| by means of flexible chains 24. The actuating handle, if desired, may be provided with an extension which extends through the door to enable the operator to actuate the locks from the exterior of the building.

In the operation of opening the door, the locks are unlatched and the lower end of the door moved outwardly, this motion causes the door to swing about the bearings 6 and I, the upper portion of the door swinging into the building. As the movement of the door continues, the lower end will swing upward until the door assumes a horizontal position at the top of the doorway. As indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. an angle plate 25 carried by the outer side-of the door will engage the frame to prevent continued inward movement'of the door. The weight of the door is counterbalanced by the springs 2. so that a minimum amount of eflort on the part of the operator is required. As the door is closed, the springs are compressed to assist in raising the door on the next operation. When the door approaches its vertical position, the stud which supports the upper end'of the spring, is almost positioned in a plane passing through the pivot I and the lower spring supporting pin it. This provides for a reduced amount of compression of the springs and permits the weight of the door to hold it in a closed position. When the door is opened the lower end is moved outward to swing the stud away from the above mentioned plane enough to permit the compressed spring to operate.

The prongs l1 positioned within the coil springs 20 prevent the latter from flexing out of place when they are compressed.

As illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, both the door and frame are provided with trim strips 2' and 26a to close the cracks around the door. At the lower portion of the door below the brackets 5, the trim strip 26a will be secured to the frame while above this point, the strip 26 will be secured to the door because at this point, the doorway must be fully as wide as the widest part of the door to permit the same to move therethrough.

When it is desired to employ tension type of coil springs, the channel members Ila must be positioned at a point on the frame adjacent the top of the doorway as illustrated in Fig. 7. It is also necessary when using this type of spring to form the power lever "a with a lateral extension to receive the spring supporting stud in order to have the stud positioned as close to a plane passing through the upper end of the spring and the pivot for the power lever as possible. a

In the form of invention illustrated in Figs. 8 to 9a inclusive, the-bracket member 5a is provided with only a single bearing to. The power lever is connected at one end with the bracket at the bearing to and with the door at its other I end. As in the preferred form of the invention,

use is made of power springs 20a and spring supports lia. At the point of attachment of the spring support its to the power lever, the former is provided with a short, laterally extending, rigidly attached plate 21 to the outer end of which is connected acontrol link 2|. The link 28 is also connected at its lower end with the door at a point below wherethe power lever connects. When the door is moved to an open position, as shown by dotted lines on Fig. 8, downward movement of the outer end of the door will be pre cluded because the prong l'la, rigidly carried by the spring support a, is positioned inside the spring 20a and will prevent any change of position on the part of the plate 21.

The use of this type of hinge mounting with 'tenslon springs is illustrated in Figs. 9 and 9a.

In this form, as in the form shownin Fig. 7, the

power lever is formed with a lateral extension pivot on the bracket as possible to permit the weight of the door to hold the same in a closed P ition.

In Figs. 10 and 11, use is made of a bracket having a single pivot and a single lever connecting the pivot of the bracket with the door. In Fig. 10, one end of the lever 29 is connected with the bracket while the other end is pivoted to the door. Above the point of connection of the lever with the door, the latter is provided with an armate bar 30 around which is positioned a compression coil spring 3|. A collar 22 secured to the free end of the bar It prevents the spring from being displaced and causes it to press against a flange 23 formed on the lever and through which the bar 30 passes. When the door is moved to an open position, the lever 29 assumes a perpendicular position thereto which causes the flange II to compress the spring 3|. The force of the spring will then tend to turn the door about the upper end of the lever which will result in holding the outer end in an elevated position. If desired, the top of the door frame may be provided with lock keepers 34 which cooperate with angle plates secured to the outer side of the door to assist in holding the door in an open position.

In Fig. 11, the lever 35 is pivoted at one end to the stationary bracket and at the other end is formed with a large flange which is rigidly secured to the door. A lateral extension 35a on the lever 35 carries a stud to which one end of a tension spring 36 connects. The spring is connected at its other end to a channel bar secured to the door frame adjacent the top of the door. When the door is swung to an open position, it pivots about the center of attachment of the lever 35 with the bracket. The spring assists in raising the door and holding the same in an open position.

In this form of the invention, as in each of the forms shown and described, when the door is closed the spring lies in a. position close to a plane passing through the pivoted point of the power lever and the point of attachment of the spring to the door frame. This renders the force of the spring inactive until the lower end of the door is moved outward when the door is being opened.

While I have shown and described several modifications of my invention, nevertheless, it will be understood that further changes may be made in the construction thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A hinge mechanism for a door comprising a bracket member formed for attachment to the door frame, bearing means provided upon said bracket member, a power lever pivoted at one end to said bracket member and to the door at the other end, spring means pivotally connected at one end to the door frame in spaced relation to said bracket member and at the. other end to said power lever adjacent its pivotal connection with said bracket, and a control link pivotally connected with said door and saidbracket.

2. A hinge mechanism for a door comprising a bracket member formed for attachment to the door frame, bearing means provided upon said bracket member adjacent the outer end thereof,

a power lever pivoted at one end to said bracket member and at the other end to the door, spring means pivotally connected at one end to the door frame and to the power lever at the other end to exert an upward force thereon, and resilient means between said power lever and said door for resisting pivotal movement of the latter about the connection of the former therewith when said door is in an open position.

3. A hinge mechanism for a door comprising a bracket member formed for attachment to the door frame, bearing means provided upon said bracket member adjacent the outer end thereof, a power lever pivotally connected to said door and bracket member, said lever being provided with a lateral extension and a perforated lug, spring means secured at one end to the door frame and at the other to said lever extension, an arcuate rod secured to said door and projecting through said perforated lug, and a second spring surrounding said rod and pressing against the lug on said lever.

4. A hinge mechanism for a door comprising a bracket member formed for attachment to the door frame, bearing means provided upon said bracket member adjacent its outer end, a power lever pivoted to said bracket and to said door at a point below the horizontal plane of the bearing on said bracket, spring means secured at one end to the door frame and at the other end to said power lever at a point near its connection with the bracket, a plate pivoted to said power lever adjacent its connection with said spring, means carried in connection with said plate and cooperating with said spring means to resist change of position of said plate, and a control link connecting the free end of said plate with said door.

5. A hinge mechanism for a door comprising a bracket member formed for attachment to a wall StI'IlC'tJl-G, bearing means provided upon said bracket member, a power lever pivoted to said bracket and to said door at a point below the horizontal level of said bearing, spring means secured at one end to said door frame and at the other end to said power lever adjacent its connection with said bracket, and a control lever pivoted to said bracket and to said door at a point above the connection of said power lever.

6. A hinge mechanism comprising a bracket member formed for attachment to a wall surface, a'plurality of bearings provided upon said bracket, a power lever pivoted at one end to said bracket at the innermost bearing, the other end of said lever being pivoted to said door at a point below the horizontal level of said bearing, a pivot stud secured to said power lever adjacent its connection with said bracket, a spring supporting member pivoted upon said stud, said supporting member being formed with a longitudinally extending prong, a second. similarly shaped supporting member pivoted in connection with the door frame in registration with said first mentioned supporting member, a compression type coil spring carried by said supporting members and surrounding said prongs, and a control lever pivoted to said bracket at the outermost bearing and to the door at a point above the connection of said power lever.

7. A hinge mechanism comprising a bracket member formed for attachment to a wall surface, a pair of horizontally spaced bearings provided upon said bracket, a power lever pivoted at one end to the bracket member at the innermost bearing and at the other end to a door at a point below the horizontal level of said bearings, a compression spring secured at its lower end to the frame for said door below the point of connection of the power lever with said door, said spring being connected at its upper end with said power lever at a point intermediate its ends, means provided in connection with said spring to prevent its buckling, and a control lever pivoted to the bracket at the outermost bearing and to the door at a point below the horizontal level of said bearings and at a point above the connection of said power lever with said door.

8. In supporting means for trackless overhead type doors, a bracket attachable to a door frame, a power lever having one end pivotally secured to the door frame and the other end secured to the door, and spring means pivotally connected at one end to the door frame in spaced relation from said bracket and at the opposite end to the power lever adjacent to its pivotal connection with said bracket.

9. A hinge mounting for a door comprising a bracket member formed for attachment to a'wall structure, a power lever pivoted to said bracket and to the door at a point below said bracket, spring means secured at one end to the door frame and at the other end to said power lever adjacent its connection with said bracket, and a control lever pivoted at one end to said door above the connection of said power lever and at the other end to said bracket at a point spaced a greater distance from the door than the pivot for said power lever.

10. A hinge mounting for a door comprising a bracket member formed for attachment to the door frame, a power lever pivoted to said bracket and to the door at a point below the horizontal level of said bracket, a compression spring connected at one end to said power lever adjacent the point of connection with said bracket and at the other end to the door frame, means for preventing buckling on the part of said spring,

and a control lever connected at one end to said 

